During the last couple of months, especially in that first frenzy of stocking your pantry, I know a lot of people ended up with sardines in their cupboard for the first time. Maybe they were out of tuna? Maybe you’d been seeing a lot of them swim by on your Instagram feed? For whatever reason, here you are, with sardines and not a clue as to how to turn them into a meal, right?
I’ve always been a sardine lover and you can almost always find a couple of cans of them in my pantry. I put them in pasta all the time, with lemons, tomatoes or even during one inspired moment with pistachios and oranges. But mostly I just open a can and eat them for lunch.
No. I’m not a total heathen. I do put them on a plate and I do usually make them into some kind of salad. But it never really involves much more than cutting up some sort of fresh and crunchy vegetable. What ever’s in season. Tomatoes in the summer, fennel in the winter, or even just leftover cooked greens from last night’s dinner.
But by far my favorite way to eat them is atop a pile of red onions. This is my go to lunch, especially when I’m on my own. I feel sort of odd sharing this since it’s not really even a recipe and barely counts as a blog post. But I figured you may need this at the moment.
I actually made it as our main course for dinner one night, and served it with white beans and grilled radicchio. But you can just pile it on top of a piece of toast and call it dinner. Or lunch. Or a snack. Because who’s keeping track these days?
Note: Just like any kind of canned fish, there are many different varieties and qualities of sardines out there. When traveling (remember that?) I was always on the lookout for interesting cans. I came back from Paris last time with loads and Spain is well known for some of the best. But here I am in Umbria, and only have my local supermarket and so picked up this can, which was just fine. The thing to look for is for sardines packed in olive oil.
Sardine and Onion Salad
Yield 2-3
I used cans of sardines that weight 120 grams net (drained) and that amount is good for one or stretching it another half person. I used 2 cans and it was fine for 3, with two side dishes, for dinner. Also be aware that the red pepper flakes in the vinegar make it pretty spicy! The vinegar really becomes infused, so don't over do it on the red pepper unless you want it super spicy. A little goes a long way
Ingredients
- 2-3 cans of sardines
- 3 medium red onions
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- fresh marjoram, mint or parsley
Instructions
- Peel and slice the red onions very thinly. Put in a smal bowl and top with the salt. Stir well, kind of bruising the onions with the spoon. Add the red pepper flakes and vinegar and stir again, smashing the onions a bit. Leave to marinate for 20 minutes, stirring ever so often. You want them to wilt completely.
- When ready to serve drain the onions, reserving the very good vinegar for a later salad. Pile the onions on a small plate and top with the sardines. Scatter with fresh herbs and serve with bread.
Oh to be sitting somewhere in the Italian countryside with a can of fish and a hunk of bread–one day again I hope!
I always rely on sardines for an easy lunch. Sardines (Cento for me cause they are fat and healthy), white bread and mayo. And a big glass of milk. I don’t get it either.
Wow sardines with milk never heard of it…